It didn't take long for the PyeongChang piste to claim its first victim when downhill was finally allowed to run following postponements for win.

Third out of the gate, Pavel Trikhichev failed to tame the icy and blowy conditions and spectacularly crashed out of the men's alpine combined event.

Trikhichev, the only competitor in the two-discipline event representing the Olympics Athletes from Russia, caught his ski before flying spread-eagled through the air.

After crashing into the safety netting on the side of the downhill course, collecting some of its structural poles on the way through, Trikhichev was pictured with blood trickling down the side of his mouth.

Pavel was the third to go in the downhill after the event had been delayed by wind (Image: REX/Shutterstock)

Blood trickles down the face of Trikhichev after the crash (Image: REX/Shutterstock)

It took 17 minutes for medics to clear the course, with Trikhichev incredibly walking away from the carnage with just bumps and bruises.

He was not, however, able to compete in the second slalom event as he was taken to hospital.

Austria's Marcel Hirscher went on to finally win Olympic gold having won the last six World Cup overall season titles but just one Games silver.

Medics attended to Trikhichev for 17 minutes before the next racer went (Image: AFP)

Incredibly, Trikhichev walked away from the crash after being saved by the netting (Image: Getty Images AsiaPac)

Marcel Hirscher went on to win gold in the combined event (Image: Getty Images AsiaPac)